Brr! It's getting cold outside!

Ok, so up until today (which is 63 degrees) it has been getting progressively colder in NYC. It was cold enough that last week I broke out the winter gear - hats, mittens, boots, coats and "bundlers." This week is devoted to some of my favorite winter gear.

As a bit of background, I'm originally from Minnesota so a New York winter is a little bit like a really cruel joke. It gets good and cold, snows a little and then it rains and rains and rains. So not only are you cold, but you (and everyone you're toting around) are good and wet. Because cold, wet moms, babies and toddlers are so much fun. Really.

So let's be realistic. A snowsuit in New York City is overkill. It rarely gets cold enough to warrant having one take up that much storage space in your front hall closet (that is if you're lucky enough to even HAVE a front hall closet). Also, if you're going outside you're probably not going to be out long enough to need it - a quick walk here or there and then back home. But you do need something - because they'll kick off that stroller blanket lickety split as soon as you step out the door and they figure out that you're going to put the rain cover on. That's were the beauty of the Urban Bundle Me comes in.

Urban Bundle Me

This is one of my all-time favorite baby gear items. The simple elastic and velcro closures on the back enables it to works (with a little creativity) with almost every car seat and stroller out there.

There is plenty of room for an extra blanket (or snow pants) inside if you need it. Also, the top "blanket" of the BundleMe easily zips off for warmer days. But that zipper also ensures that on cold days you can zip it right up to their chin and (until they figure out how to do zippers) they're bundled in all snug and all warm.

Oh yeah, and it goes in the washer AND the dryer.

You can usually find it for less than $40 - $70 on JJ Cole Urban Toddler Bundle Me">Amazon.com - especially if you're flexible about color.

A great tip - skip the infant size and go for the toddler size. At most, you'll only use the infant size for a year, but you can tuck the extra fabric from the toddler size in and get 2-4 years worth of wear out of it.

Quick Favs - Travel Changer

The Pronto Travel Changer is the very best changer I've come across. Compact enough for a diaper bag/backpack/stroller, just enough pockets for the essentials (wipes, diapers, etc.). Perfect for changing in the park, in the airport, or - God forbid - an airplane bathroom. At $30 it's a little expensive, but totally worth it.

Alert! $10 Pajamas at Gymboree!

OK - I'll admit it. Occasionally... once in a while... indeed very, very rarely, I am a sucker for a sale. Usually the same sale.

About 3-4 times a year Gymboree has their big baby sale. Everything over $20 is marked down to $20. Everything $10 - $19.75 is marked down to $10. Plus you get Gymbucks which are always fun.

I LOVE the Gymboree pajamas. They are 100% cotton, super soft and they wear well (wash after wash after wash). At $10 a set ($8 if you remember to bring that 20% off Gymboree coupon you got in the mail) you can't beat the price. In fact, stock up for winter because you won't find a better price (until the next time they run the Baby Sale).

They also have some other really cute things for fall. Like this great little fleece-lined faux fur bunny jacket ($20 or $16 with the coupon).

They also just launched a monkey collection for little girls (3m - 5T). The colors are classic adult fall colors (burnt orange, yellow)...that is to say they are ugly, but they'll hide a lot of fall playground grime. The monkeys are pretty cute and Tot #1 pretty much refuses to wear anything else.

Good tip - if your local Gymboree store is out of stock on the size or style you want, ask them to order it for you from the warehouse. After about 5 minutes on the phone, they will arrange for it to be sent directly to you and you won't have to pay shipping (if you mention that you got the direct mail piece they'll give you the 20% off as well).

Quick Favs - High Chair to Go

Hands down my favorite travel/spare highchair. It actually folds even more compactly and one of the straps becomes a handle. Great for playdates, keeping in the trunk for restaurants, or for Grandma's house - especially if she lives in an apartment or just doesn't want the enormous highchair kickin' around her kitchen when you're not there. We often take this out to restaurants for our 9m old Tot #2 to use since it gives the back support (and security) that the restaurant high chairs seem to lack. Tot #1 also loves to sit in it to eat, draw, play playdoh or watch Grandma bake. Oh yeah - it's also $19.99!

My Favorite Books - Slide and Peek! by Amazing Baby

The tots both love this book. It is fun to read and easy for big chunky fingers to move since the sliders go in a circular pattern instead or up/down or side/side. Unlike most of the other touchy-feely baby books, it is almost indestructible. Now I just have to keep Tot #1 from stealing it out of Tot #2's book basket...

Quick Favs - Oh my achin' knees!

If these bath kneelers EVER come back in stock on Amazon (I've been waiting for my 2nd set for the in-laws house for 2 months) order them!  They are the best ones I've tried.  They are extra cushy and even have a removable insert in the upper part so you can use on a tub with sliding doors.  They come in 5 colors (the four shown plus graphite).  They are totally worth $35.

Quick Favs - Travel Bouncer

I LOVE this travel bouncer from One Step Ahead.  It has all the features of a regular boucner (vibration, music, etc.), easily folds/unfolds, stows in a handy carrying bag and is light enough to schlepp to a playdate a 1/4 mile away (or throw in the back seat of your car).  This was key for Tot #2 at Tot #1's playdates.  Also, at $39.95 you can't beat the price!

Review: Boon Squirt feeding spoon

Ah, Boon.  Beautiful contemporary design.  Continued botched execution.  Ok, so that could be the review right there.  Here is the long version.

The Boon Squirt spoon is a great concept.  A spoon that self fills so you don't have to keep dipping it into the baby food jar.  Brilliant!  

Except: a) you need two hands to unscrew it or fill it or take the storage cap off the spoon part, b) you can only fill it with very smooth foods (i.e. 1st foods), c) you need to use a spoon to get the baby food into the Squirt, and d) if you're serving cereal you'll need to mix it in a bowl with a spoon then load it in the Squirt.  When you have a hungry baby howling for dinner a) and b) are deal breakers.  Also, if you do the math, c) and d) just made more dirty dishes for you. 

Again, it is always easier to find faults in something versus design it perfectly.  I just wish Boon would put these concepts or models in front of a focus group of moms before they bring them to market so they could engineer around these pitfalls.  Then what was a great, innovative concept could really be a solid meal changing invention (no pun intended).  Instead it is just another baby spoon in the back of the drawer.

Review: Phil&Ted Wriggle Wrapper

The Need:  Something small enough to fit in a purse/diaperbag that can substitute for a highchair.

The Solution: The Wriggle Wrapper 

(no, that's not me in the photo, this is stock footage)

I just ordered the P&T Wriggle Wrapper and LOVE it.  It is a simple, compact solution for wrangling a squirmy baby/small toddler. This is a great solution for when a kid who is too small for a high chair, no high chair is available or when the high chair in question is, well, questionable. 

We used it in a restaurant for breakfast, in an airport lounge, sitting at the table reading the paper and just about anywhere else we could think of.  For all the on-lap applications it was great.  Easy to put on (even one handed), easy to adjust, comfortable for the tot (who is psyched to be sitting on your lap AND at the table) and easy to wipe clean.

Apparently you can also use it alone on a chair or as a substitute for a crib/bedrail, but we haven't (and probably won't) test those options out.  For the "hand's free" option alone it has more than earned it's keep.  I would put this on my "must have" list for parents of 2 under 2.

Sale! Land of Nod and Stokke Cribs

I love Stokke Cribs and I love Land of Nod.  And I love that Stokke Cribs are on sale at Land of Nod for $200 off!!